IPVanish Review 2018 – Is IPVanish a Good VPN?

This ipvanish review will show you everything you need to know about IPVanish. My goal is to give you a review that responds to all IPVanish related questions. To help you, I’ve put together an interactive table of contents. Simply click each link to be transported to different sections.

About IPVanish

When searching for the highest recommended and utilized VPN providers, you will no doubt find IPVanish at the top of the list. With over 500+ servers located throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, IPVanish is able to provide Internet connections to customers almost anywhere on the globe. What truly distinguishes IPVanish from the rest of its competitors is that they own all their servers. This allows them to guarantee secure, fully encrypted, and consistently speedy connections. Among other features, IPVanish utilizes OpenVPN, L2TP, and PPTP protocols. Committed to giving you the best service, IPVanish constantly updates their software and releases new features to ensure customers are satisfied.

IPVanish allows you to manipulate your IP location, which not only masks your real location, but also protects your personal identity and data. There are over 40,000+ IP addresses available on 500+ servers in 60+ different countries, giving you maximum flexibility and geographic privacy. Using IPVanish VPN also allows you to access geo-blocked websites like HBO, Hulu, and YouTube from any device from any location around the world. IPVanish will protect your Wi-Fi hotspots as well. The best part of all of this it that the IPVanish software is completely free.

Why should you use IPVanish?

It Eliminates Geo-Targeting

First, let’s define geo-targeting. Have you ever been on vacation and noticed ads pop-up for location specific items that are in your area? You have fallen victim to geo-tracking. Whenever you are not utilizing a VPN, your location is used so internet marketers can provide ads based on your location. It is kind of scary when you think about it. Through geo-targeting information like your IP address, zip code, city, and country are made known. This is where IPVanish comes in–to eliminate geo-marketing as well as protecting your online privacy by hiding you behind a secure and anonymous IP address. Think of it as an invisible suit that you wear when surfing the web, sending emails, torrenting and streaming through your favorite websites.

VoIP Services

The use of the Internet has opened up a huge world of communication. Instead of having to rely on cell service, VoIP allows you to keep in contact with family even in the most remote circumstances. As you can imagine there are limitations with normal VoIP calls. They are not secure, just like their predecessor the regular telephone, they are vulnerable to censorship blocking and being intercepted. There are even entire countries that set up firewalls to rid themselves of VoIP calls. Also, many times the use of normal VoIP services is very expensive due to international rates.

When you use IPVanish for your VoIP needs you are in control of where your call is coming from. They have a vast network that covers the entire globe. So no matter where you find yourself, one of their secure servers will be there for you.

That isn’t even the best part, once connected, IPVanish will encrypt your calls. Now all of your personal conversations will continue to remain personal and private. This encryption gives you the ability to extinguish firewalls and proceed undetected by censorship blocks.

3 main use cases:

Cost savingsConnect to a server in the country that the person you are going to call is located in. The call will be much cheaper, if not free, vs paying international rates.

PrivacyIt’s now commonly known that government agencies and hackers can (and in many cases do) monitor VoIP calls. The cannot do this when you are connected to IPVanish, since all of your transmissions are sent through a secure VPN tunnel, making it impossible for any 3rd parties to listen in on yoru conversations.

Accessing VoIP when your in a location that blocks them Planes for example. WiFi connections on planes do not allow you to use Skype. When you first connect to IPVanish, then open up Skype, the firewall is unable to see that you are accessing Skype. Problem solved!

Bypass Censorship

Shake off the shackles of possible restrictions that your country may have in place. Don’t let yourself be limited to the media that is permitted, explore what is happening everywhere. The globe is saturated by many great media outlets. With the IPVanish VPN network, you can connect and have peace of mind because it will be impossible to be detected. The next time a video or show goes viral on the web you will not have to wait a decade to see it. You can access it immediately in your region by connecting to their VPN network.

Security on the Go

It goes without saying, our phones are everything. I often lose my keys, wallet, car but never my phone. I always know exactly where it is at. There is something though that we may not have control over, that’s our personal data. I am sure that your password that you use for a dozen other logins will never become susceptible to cyber attacks. There is no way that your information could be hacked, it could never happen. The sad truth is it does. Cyber security is the front line to protect our data. Think of all of the important information that could be accessed should your phone or mobile device be compromised. Information like email, banking, social media and messaging all become available if we are operating out of an unsecured network.

The great news is that IPVanish understands the importance of this information and seeks to protect it. With their mobile apps for either iOS or Android, you can connect with the utmost confidence. They provide an anonymous IP address, so no matter where you connect with your mobile device it will be hidden. This included Wi-Fi hotspots. Normally when you share a network with a would-be hacker or threat you are opening the door to your personal information. IPVanish does not allow this. Even when sharing a similar wi-fi network your IP address is filtered through their encryption services to ensure full security.

Online Freedom

Regardless of country, the government is always in search of limiting the average individual. This is done through censorship, state of the art firewalls and hackers. Outside of limiting your liberty on the web, in some way they seek to destroy it. Your ISP may be forced to hand over your private online identity. Think of everything you may have ever put into a search engine, everything. Whether it was incognito or not this information is kept and is extremely susceptible to being breached.

IPVanish stands up for your liberty. They plan to protect it with their lives. They do this through an anonymous IP address, and encrypting your data. The freedom to search the web will not and cannot be limited by any source because you will have all of the power.

Prevent Deep Packet Inspection

Imagine all of the information that you send and receive online. That’s a lot, isn’t it? Every keystroke, email, social media response, and search results are collected and placed into packets of data. With these packets of data, your ISP is able to do deep searches of every last bit of it. You may be thinking that you don’t have anything to hide. You don’t search for inappropriate media, you aren’t planning anything suspicious. Here is the reason why you need IPVanish. Your ISP takes this information and they sell it to the highest bidder. The company that desires this information the most, takes it and uses it to successfully market their products to you. After they have sold the information your ISP can also control the throttle of your internet speeds. So during the peak hours of your internet use, they may ease on the throttle and make the speeds slower than a turtle. Thus, your dissatisfaction results in purchasing a higher performing internet package. With IPVanish they will never know your peak hours of usage and you will continue to get proper speeds from your current package.

Privacy and Security: The IPVanish mobile and desktop applications prevent your personal data from being hacked, stolen and/or compromised. By connecting all your devices through their VPN, 100% of your online traffic is anonymous and secure.

Connections: IPVanish offers up to 5 connections, which allows you to secure 5 devices at one. IPVanish also provides the fastest VPN encryption speeds of any VPN service and is consistently ranked the #1 VPN service globally.

Easy to Use: Simple point and click interface, nothing gets easier than that.

Up Time: All connections are guaranteed a 99.99% uptime.

Support: Customer service is available 24/7 to ensure that any problems you have with IPVanish are resolved as soon as possible. Simply send an email and help is on the way.

Money Back Guarantee: IPVanish is so sure customer needs will be met that they offer a 7-day money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied for any reason you money will be refunded completely with no questions asked.

Pricing & Plans

IPVanish offers three plans for their VPN service. The cheapest plan costs $10 if you sign up for a month and drops to $6.49 per month if you choose the 1 year plan.

All three plans sold by IPVanish come with:

7-day money-back guarantee

iOS, Android, Mac and Windows apps.

Access to the world’s fastest VPN

40,000+ shared IPs, 500+ VPN servers in 60+ countries

Unlimited bandwidth

256-bit AES encryption

Zero traffic logs

Anonymous torrenting

Unlimited P2P traffic

Access to censored apps & websites

OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP/IPsec VPN protocols

User-friendly apps for all of your devices

Unlimited server switching

5 simultaneous connections on multiple devices

24/7 customer support

Payment Methods

Payments are painless and simple. They accept credit cards from the biggest providers. If credit isn’t the way you bank they also accept debit cards from VISA, Electron and Delta. They also accept Paypal, iDEAL Giropay, Bolero, and many others.

Bitcoin, for those who prefer even more added security.

Money Back Guarantee

IPVanish offers a 7-day money back gurantee. This guarantee covers all new accounts without any questions asked. If, for any reason, you wish to cancel the service and obtain a refund, regardless of the payment type you selected, it must be done within the 7-day period.

Customer Support

Support is available to all IPVanish customers 24/7, 365 days a year.

All support requests are handled on a first-come, first-serve basis. The more information you provide on your issue, the more effectively and promptly their team will be able to provide a resolution.

IPVanish.com’s Customer Support team is available via two different channels: by email or by accessing the website’s forum boards.

Additionally, a most frequently asked questions list is available on the IPVanish.com’s support page.

IPVanish VPN Servers

IPVanish has a broad network that spans more than 40,000+ IPs and this is on over 500+ servers in more than 60 countries. It doesn’t get any better than that for sure on all fronts from a VPN perspective.

Supported Devices and Operating Systems

IPvanish can be used for the following devices: Windows (7-10), Mac OS X, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Ubuntu, Chromebook and Routers. Also, any device can be used as long it allows a VPN connection using PTTP, LT2TP or OpenVPN.

IPVanish VPN software is compatible with the Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android operating systems. Currently, IPVanish Software is not compatible with the Linux operating system, meaning that those who use this will have to manually configure all of their settings. For Ubuntu users, VPN connection to IPVanish servers can be done through PPTP or OpenVPN protocols.

IPVanish Encryption

Encryption is the process of translating data into an unrecognizable code to that it cannot be interpreted by a third party.

IPVanish utilizes military grade 256-bit AES encryption, which protects your data from ISPs, cyber criminals, government institutions, and any others. This is the same level of encryption used by the U.S. Government and many other international organizations.

This level of encryption is widely used due to its unparalleled difficulty to crack. The encryption key is 2 to the 256th power, hence its name, making the number of combinations nearly impossible for a would-be hacker.

You IP address will be kept anonymous and concealed, giving you peace of mind that your activity is 100% private.

IPVanish uses a log-less, encrypted VPN, allowing you to access your favorite websites free of censorship or monitoring. It will also protect you from hacking on public Wi-Fi connections.

Why take the chance that your data could be compromised when you could be using IPVanish encrypted VPN. This benefits people such as:

Internet users who want to bypass government censorship measures

University students looking to work around web-restrictions

Social media users looking to keep their accounts private

Gamers looking to sidestep geo-blocks

People using public Wi-Fi who want an added level of security to their connection

Users accessing data in foreign countries who want to keep their connection safe

People with online banks looking to access their financial information securely

Internet users looking to avoid surveillance by the government, ISP regulation, and cybercrime

IPVanish VPN Software

IPVanish offers some of the best VPN apps on the market. Now in the 3rd generation, their iOS, Android, Windows and Mac apps are simple to use and are loaded with features.

IPVanish VPN software can be used for Windows, Mac, Android operating systems and iOS.

As soon as you install IPVanish’s VPN software, a tutorial designed to walk you through the app is now available in the settings area and can be accessed at any time.

The tutorial contains the following information:

You can choose your region, and IPVanish will select the fastest server for you. Your real IP address will change to one from that server’s location.

Click on a Country or City to connect to that region.

Click on the number of servers in a region to see more information.

There is an amazing unity between both the desktop app and mobile app. They have been created with such an overlap that if you were not sure what platform you were on then you would not be able to tell the difference.

They gel together so closely that you will have such an ease operating the two you won’t have a preference.

Windows VPN Software

The IPVanish VPN software is compatible with:

The Simple Client/Mini User Interface feature allows you to use either the full-featured app or a miniature version of the app. These both let you change your country/city preferences, connect, and disconnect.

This is most useful when you want a simpler way to use IPVanish. You can toggle between the full or mini version of the app at any time within the preferences in Settings.

The 3rd Party DNS feature allows you to use a different DNS service while connected to the IPVanish VPN. While they do not recommend this, it is understood that this can sometimes be necessary.

The Quick Connect feature connects you with the optimal server in the country that you select for connecting. You are also able to choose a favorite server for future connections. You can use the simplified client option on desktop, which is a lighter weight and easier to use.

The New Server List feature allows you to click the servers in each location. You can access detailed information about each server including the load time and ping time.

The New Connected Screen feature shows your server information, current IP address, and server location. In addition, it will also display a real-time graph of your connection and information on your data transfer for your sessions.

The Server Notifications feature informs you of when a server become overloaded or its performance and speed becomes compromised, allowing you to switch to an optimal server. You will also be notified if a server you are using will be getting maintenance in the future, allowing you to select another server and avoid connection interruptions.

Mac OS VPN Software

The Simple Client/Mini UI feature allows you to use a new menu bar to directly change your country/city, connect, and disconnect. The simpler UI for this feature makes it easier for you to use.

You can now connect, disconnect and change your country and city preferences directly from a new UI in the menu bar. The IPv6 Protection features added security to protect your connection and data at all times. The IPv6 protection safeguards your IP address effectively.

OpenVPN Scramble for OSX is newly supported by IPVanish. This bypasses Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) in countries that attempt to block VPN connections thereby protecting your location and connection privacy. When inspection by firewalls occurs your connection will be hidden, preventing them from detecting any VPN activity. The DNS Cleanup feature allows you to reset DNS settings. This is comes in handy when a disconnection occurs and DNS settings are lost.

IPVansih Android App

The latest and greatest feature that they are proud to boast is LAN Blocking. While using this feature no one that is on the local area network will be able to even see your device. You will be working completely secure from any would be threats to your network. Also, this feature doesn’t allow your outbound traffic to go over the LAN. Some threats pose as a net that attempts to catch outbound traffic as it leaves. Their LAN Blocking feature will shield you from this potential threat.

A newly added Widget feature which you can resize to your liking can be place on your home screen, allowing for easier connecting and disconnecting.

IPVanish 3.0 is optimized for TV large screen format and is fully functional with remotes.

The AutoReconnect feature allows you to connect to the last server you used, the optimal server, or as preselected server in a chosen country as soon as you turn on your Andriod. This feature also allows you to reconnect when IPVanish is opened. This is an enhancement from the previous AutoReconnect functionality.

Automatic IP switching has been such a success on the Widows platform that it is now available with the new update.

When enabling this feature you choose an interval of 45, 60, 90 or 120 minutes and IPVanish will automatically change IP address. There is a temporary interruption but when coupled with peace of mind you will not notice the difference.

See how it works in the video below:

iOS (iPhone & iPad) VPN Software

The system to search through the never ending list of over 500 VPN servers is extremely user-friendly. It is simple enough for you to sit down with a 5-year old and guide them through the process.

Here is what they did, as you begin to search for a suitable server the first thing you do is select “QuickConnect.” This will allow you to choose the region that you wish to connect to. There is an interactive map that you get to choose from.

Think of this as a form of teleportation, instead of being beamed across the globe physically, your digital identity will be placed in the geographic location you choose. Or, if teleportation is not your cup of tea you may filter the type of server that best suits your needs.

Filters allow you to search by region, latency, and name. This way your exact need at the time is met perfectly.

As someone who is always thinking of the worst possible situation, I like to have contingency plans. When I go on road trips I map out alternate routes just in case, pack spare tools/parts so that I may be ready for anything.

The kill switch feature functions as your contingency plan. It is your backup just in case anything may interrupt your VPN connection. This is what it does, the feature will automatically kill all activity once it senses an interruption.

Don’t be scared, what you are working on will not be lost as it uses to be in the old days. Just as easily as you found that interrupted network you can easily find another to continue your work.

Within IPVanish there are three great ‘On Demand’ settings to make your experience even better.

The most used setting is the ‘Always On’ setting. This breathtaking feature will cut down on the already quick process of finding a network.

Once there is internet activity it will automatically connect to the VPN. The second and third options are for customizing Network SSIDs and web domains. The way that you utilize these great features is simple, add websites that you have saved or WI-Fi networks that you use regularly.

After they are recognized the VPN will automatically connect and protect. That way you will have more peace of mind and even more ease with connecting.

Logging Policy

IPVanish VPN has a very strict zero logs policy and this policy ensures that your identity is keep totally under wraps. None of your activity is recorded by this fine VPN and they don’t let anyone else track your whereabouts either. What this unique VPN is all about is complete security and privacy for all its members. With all this said, if you would like to give IPVanish a go of it, just to see how it works out for you.

IPVanish does not collect or log any traffic or use of its Virtual Private Network service.

DNS Leak Test

A DNS leak refers to a security flaw that allows the true IP address of a connection to be revealed to websites, despite the use of a VPN service to conceal it. The flaw was first documented by Daniel Roesler, a developer based in San Fransisco.

I’ve tested IPVanish servers for dns leak. You can see the result in the images below. Or in my video here.

IPVanish Speed Test

This speed test was performed from Bucharest Romania (Europe) while using IPVanish Windows application. There may be differences in performance, depending on the location where the test is carried out.

For this test I’ve used IPVanish’s Best Server option, allowing the application to pick the best server from the country I wanted to be connected.

Test 6,7 and 8. I’ve been connected to their best US server (New York) for me at the time I carry out the test. “With my New York IP” I’ve made 3 tests, to East Cost, Central and West Cost. As you can see in the table lowest speed I’ve got for West Cost.

Questions & Answers

In this section I responded to the most important questions that you might ask yourself before buying a VPN plan from IPVanish.

What exactly is a VPN?

A VPN, also known as a Virtual Private Network, is an encryption and internet privacy tool that should be taken into consideration if you are thinking of either making yourself anonymous online or safeguarding all of your data. VPNs are extremely easy to use and contain many different features that can be utilized.

What a VPN can do?

A VPN can completely secure your internet connection, as well as put you in total control of your own IP address. These qualities can help to protect your online identity, keep you safe while using WiFi hotspots, provide a virtual firewall, and also shield companies who use them from various types of cyber crimes.

How exactly does the IPVanish VPN service work?

IPVanish VPN server helps to create a safe environment for everyday use. Before logging onto the internet, you will be required to establish a connection using this particular service. This will pass all of your data through an encrypted tunnel, which will make it extremely difficult for any outside third parties to access any of it.

Is any of my activity tracked or logged?

None of your activity is tracked or logged. For more detailed information regarding this, you can check their Privacy Policy.

What server is the best one for me to connect to?

It depends on the specific location that you prefer. All you have to do is select one and an IP will be chosen for you afterward.

What is the main difference between a dynamic IP address and a static IP address?

Dynamic IP addresses are said to offer the best anonymity, while static IP addresses are ones that don’t change every time you connect to the internet.

Are the IP addresses used by IPVanish dynamic or static?

The IP addresses that are used by IPVanish are dynamic.

Is there a certain limit on how much transfer or bandwidth that I can use every month?

There is no limitation on how much transfer or bandwidth that you can use every month.

How many computers and/or mobile devices can I run IPVanish on at one time?

IPVanish can be run on 5 computers and/or mobile devices at one time.

How can I set up my router so that it will work with IPVanish?

Walkthrough guides are offered for both Tomato and DD-WRT routers. If you are someone who does not prefer to set up your own router yourself, you can look into a number of pre-configured routers that are designed to work with IPVanish.

Are there any free trials offered for IPVanish?

Not at this time; however, there is a 7-day money back guarantee that is offered with the product.

How often will I be charged for using IPVanish?

This depends completely on the specific VPN plan that your account is set to. Typically, a one-month plan is on a 30-day billing cycle, which means that the actual day that the account will be charged may change from month to month.

If I need to cancel my service, how do I do that?

If you need to cancel your IPVanish service, simply log into your control panel, click on the “Subscription” button, then click on “I wish to cancel my subscription,” then follow all of the necessary steps in order to cancel your IPVanish service.

If I don't connect to a server, will all of my traffic still remain encrypted?

No. In order for all of your traffic to remain encrypted, you will need to be actively connected to IPVanish.

Is there any extra software that is required to be installed?

You may choose to install IPVanish VPN software that makes connecting to IPVanish servers easier as opposed to manually setting up your own network connections. However, you are, in no way, required to use this type of software if you do not wish to do so.

What benefits do I have for using IPVanish software as opposed to a manual connection?

IPVanish software boasts an auto-reconnect feature, which saves you from not only a loss of privacy, but also having to reconnect to a server in the event that your connection suddenly drops.

Where can this software be found?

After sign up for a IPVanish VPN account, you will receive an email with all the details.

Will I be able to use either my tablet or smartphone with their VPN?

IPVanish will work on any and all devices that supports PPTP protocols or OpenVPN. This includes Apple products such as iPhones and iPads, as well as various Android devices.

How can I use the Max OS X configuration files?

These particular configuration files work only with Tunnelblick, which is a third party program. Tunnelblick’s Visual Guide can best assist you with the setup process involving these files.

IPVanish User Reviews

In this section, I have interviewed people who use IPVanish VPN. This section will be constantly updated. If you use/used IPVanish leave a reply to this article and it will be posted here.

I am very pleased with IPVanish… Speed, server selection, and ease of use are all excellentDave Phillips

IPVanish Review Conclusion

IPVanish is a tried and true VPN service for securing your online privacy. Not only do they have one of the most secure and fastest VPN networks, but it’s simple to use.

Some VPN services are very complicated to use. Their apps are not intuitive and it is difficult to connect to the right server based on your needs. IPVanish has all of these problems solved and it takes under a minute to signup, download their app (iOS, Android, Windows and Mac are all available) and connect to a server in your desired region.

If you are looking for a VPN provider that offers the best VPN security, we recommend IPVanish. It’s secure, it’s fast, they have a zero logs policy, they offer a multitude of payment options (bitcoin included), have some of the best VPN apps on the market and offer their service for a great price. You can also signup risk-free with a 7 day money back gurantee.